Clare Ladies resurgent Form Continues

Clare Ladies Football Board Press Release 16/04/2006 

Clare 5 – 11 Westmeath 1 – 4

Clare ladies football resurgence continued unabated at Castledaly
on Sunday in this Suzuki National League Division Three quarter
final. Coming off a good win over Fermanagh the previous week
the Banner women were quietly confident that they would have the
measure of the Westmeath team and so it transpired.

Having won the toss Clare elected to play with the very strong
downfield breeze at their backs. From the throw in Clare laid
siege on the Westmeath goal and despite a few early misses through
jittery shooting they were soon rewarded with a Marie Kelly point
after three minutes and a brace of points in the fifth and sixth
minutes from ace sharpshooter Majella Griffin. The West Clare
Gaels lady was on the mark again in the seventh minute coming
in at the end of a great passing movement to crash home Clare’s
first goal. Full forward Myra Daly got on the scoresheet with
a point on eight minutes before Westmeath opened their account
with a pointed free after ten minutes. Clare’s reply was as swift
as it was incisive with the in form Marie Kelly finding the midlander’s
net following a great through ball from Louise Henchy.

Clare were now dominant with Henchy doing Trojan work at midfield
where she was ably assisted by Marie Considine. Sinéad
Kelly was also having a stormer at wing back and repelled and
Westmeath forward threats. Westmeath did add another pointed free
on fourteen minutes before the Clare forwards hit a purple patch
which started with a Helen Quinn goal on fifteen minutes. This
was quickly followed by a long range point from Louise Henchy
on seventeen minutes and a Majella Griffin free one minute later.
Griffin went on to score her second and Clare’s fourth goal in
the twentieth minute and this was followed from the kick out by
Clare’s fifth goal when the Banner’s Niamh Keane sliced through
the Westmeath defence to toe poke the ball low into the left corner
of the net. Amazingly this was to be Clare’s last score of the
half despite dominating the game right up to the break. A combination
of wayward shooting and the crossbar denied Clare an even more
comfortable lead than the 5 – 6 to 0 – 2 cushion they had at the
break.

Despite this handsome advantage Clare were well aware that the
wind was having a major influence on the game so nothing could
be taken for granted and a good start to the second half was vital
to prevent Westmeath getting any foothold on the game. Indeed
Clare did begin well in the second period and the irrepressible
Majella Griffin extended their lead with a pointed free after
thirty four minutes. Taking adventage of the elements Westmeath
then had a period of dominance and scored a goal and two points
over the next four minutes. The Clare defence soon regrouped and
Eithne Morrissey came into her own around the square and really
bossed the game defensively. Time after time she rose high to
collect the ball and stormed forward to make excellent clearances,
this really broke Westmeath hearts. Majella Griffin steadied the
ship for Clare with pointed frees on forty and forty five minutes
before substitute Majella Lillis got a well taken point from play
after fifty two. Clare were now coasting and star forward Majella
Griffin finalised affairs in stoppage time with another point.
Final score Clare 5 – 11, Westmeath 1 – 4.

Clare can reflect on a job well done and mission accomplished
as to reaching the league semi-finals. Despite the large winning
margin Westmeath were no pushovers and should have been closer
at the finish but they were guilty of some poor shooting both
from play and from placed balls in the second half. Clare will
also have concerns that they did not register a score in the final
ten minutes of the first half when totally dominant and wind assisted.
Clare’s occasional tendency to bunch when going forward and running
out of shooting space is something the mentors will have to look
at. The quality of ball from the half back line is something Clare
will have to look at, as indeed is the half forward line movement
in anticipation of such clearances. All in all though this was
another very good day at the office for the county footballers.
Deirdre Murphy’s main objective of steering this team to the league
playoff stages has been well achieved. Hopefully there is more
left in the team and they can achieve a final spot with another
victory this coming weekend.

Clare: Emma O’Driscoll (The Banner), Carmel Considine (Liscannor),
Eithne Morrissey (Cooraclare), Cliona Talty (Fergus Rovers), Grace
Lynch (Coolmeen), Lorraine Kelly (Fergus Rovers), Sinéad
Kelly (West Clare Gaels), Louise Henchy (The Banner), Marie Considine
(Liscannor), Niamh Keane (The Banner), Majella Griffin (West Clare
Gaels), Marie Kelly (West Clare Gaels), Áine Kelly (Fergus
Rovers), Myra Daly (Fergus Rovers), Helen Quinn (Cooraclare).
Subs: Diane Kelly (Miltown) for Myra Daly, Majella Lillis (Cooraclare)
for Áine Kelly, Susan McNamara (Wolfe Tones) for Niamh
Keane, Monica Lillis (Cooraclare) for Cliona Talty and Patricia
Keane (Doora-Barefield) for Carmel Considine.

Scorers: Majella Griffin 2 – 7, Marie Kelly 1 -1, Helen Quinn
1 – 0, Niamh Keane 1 – 0, Louise Henchy, Myra Daly and Majella
Lillis 0 – 1 each.